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Double flux‐rope magnetic cloud in the solar wind at 1 AU
Author(s) -
Hu Qiang,
Smith Charles W.,
Ness Norman F.,
Skoug Ruth M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2002gl016653
Subject(s) - rope , magnetic cloud , physics , solar wind , flux (metallurgy) , magnetic field , magnetic flux , plasma sheet , computational physics , plasma , mechanics , interplanetary magnetic field , magnetosphere , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , structural engineering , engineering
We present a study of a magnetic cloud observed by Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) in the solar wind at 1 AU on August 12, 2000. Its cross‐section is obtained from magnetic field and plasma measurements by using a Grad‐Shafranov reconstruction technique. This shows a configuration of asymmetric double flux ropes with a single‐X point in between. Overall magnetic field and current density distributions are obtained numerically in a 2D domain. The boundary confining the flux ropes is defined in consistency with two‐dimensional, magnetohydrostatic theory. Several parameters characterizing the flux ropes are derived. A benchmark case is illustrated to validate the approach.